America's Library

The Library of Congress, considered by many to be the greatest library on earth, holds over 110 million items in 450 languages, irreplaceable national documents, priceless art works, and objects of cultural fascination. From a modest collection of 740 books purchased by the Congress in 1800, the Library has grown to house hundreds of miles of bookshelves. Laid end to end, they would stretch from Washington, DC, to Chicago. This book tells the story of the first two hundred years of the Library of Congress -- a vast history, filled with an immense cast of characters ranging from presidents, poets, journalists, and congressmen to collectors, artists, curators, and eccentrics.

Author/Creator: James Conaway; preface by James H. Billington, the Librarian of Congress; introduction by Edmund Morris

Published by: Copublished by Yale University Press and the Library of Congress